Latest News

It has been confirmed this evening that the boil water notice for the Lough Talt Public Water Supply Scheme remains in place until further notice. A two-week testing and sampling programme which was implemented in agreement with the HSE has concluded and…

The Liquidator appointed to Mayo Renewable Power in Killala confirmed to Midwest News yesterday that the facility has not been sold. It follows some local speculation that the Biomass-fuelled power plant had been bought recently. In 2016, while under…

Businesses, homes and schools in Crossmolina were affected by power outages this morning. Over 700 customers in the North Mayo were without power, following a fault on the network. Crossmolina National School was forced to close as a result of the outage,…

Two men have appeared in court this week charged with conveying drugs into Castlerea Prison. The Irish Times reports that John Kennedy, Castleburn, Ballymote Co Sligo is charged with unlawful possession of PVP at Ballisodare Post Office on April 9th 2015. He…

The signage on the new M17/18 motorway indicating the exit for Claregalway at Junction 19, is completely inadequate, according to local Fine Gael councillor Frank Kearney. Claregalway is in a gaeltacht area, and so the place name must be indicated “as…

More than 700 households and businesses in the Crossmolina area are without electricity this morning. A fault occurred on the line just before 8am. According to the ESB’s powercheck website, crews are working on the fault and it’s expected that the supply…

Motorists are being warned to take extra care on the roads this morning, after sub-zero temperatures returned to the West overnight. Temperatures dropped to minus 3 degrees in places, leading to frost and icy stretches. A status yellow low temperature warning…

A new playground and carpark can go ahead at the Demesne in Castlerea, after Roscommon County Councilors passed the part 8 planning permission. The project will mean a refurbished playground for the town, and a new carpark that can be used by people attending…

The Sports Minister Shane Ross has failed to give a date for work to begin on the running track sanctioned for Lough Lannagh, Castlebar. That’s according to Mayo Fianna Fail TD Lisa Chambers, who claims this is another broken promise by Government. Work is…

The Cabinet has approved a draft bill to hold a referendum on the 8th amendment. The Health Minister Simon Harris can now finalise the bill, which the Government is expected to approve in two weeks time. The Taoiseach has said he's confident the timeline of…

Tributes are being paid to former Mayor of Castlebar Brendan Henaghan, who died suddenly a the age of 53. A well-known businessman in Castlebar, Mr Henaghan became ill at his home in Snugboro on Sunday night, and passed away early this morning at Mayo…

An arthouse cinema in Galway, that has cost the State almost 9 million euro, will finally open to the public next Friday. The Pálás cinema has been steeped in controversy since the project was first mooted 14 years ago – having encountered funding shortfalls,…

A conference in Dublin heard today that potato growers are getting less than one-fifth of the price a consumer pays for their product in the shop. Speaking at the National Potato Conference, the Galway-based IFA President Joe Healy outlined how retailers are…

Gardai are warning about a scam tricking people into buying iTunes gift cards. In recent weeks, a victim in Co Galway was scammed out of 2,200 euro, while two people fell victim to the scam in Wicklow and Tipperary and were conned into buying over a thousand…

There is increasing concern that the daily bus connections linking both Swinford and Kiltimagh to Galway may be cut. Listeners to Midwest News, regular users of the service, say it is a vital transport link to Galway for many elderly people in particular,…

The Cabinet will today agree the draft heads of legislation around the holding of a referendum to ask people if they want to retain or repeal the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution. Minister for Health Simon Harris will bring the proposal to Government this…

The sudden death has occurred of a former Mayor of Castlebar, businessman Brendan Heneghan. He died last night, aged 53. One of the county town's best known personalities, he became ill at his home in Snugboro on Sunday night and passed away early this…

Gardaí in Collooney arrested two members of what is believed to be a prolific rural burglary gang who are suspected of carrying out at least 50 raids over the last two months. The arrests were made by uniformed gardaí in county Sligo over the weekend as part…

Supermac’s has committed to spending €32million on Irish farm produce in 2018. The increase spend is largely driven by the expansion plans of the group with 6 new stores opening throughout the country in the 1st half of 2018 bringing the total number of…

One person was arrested earlier today, following a drugs seizure in Ballina. The divisional drugs unit, assisted by local Gardai, carried out a planned search of a house in St Patrick’s Estate and seized a significant quantity of suspected cocaine. One man…

The Government has been criticised for failing to include any upgrade of the N84 Galway to Headford road in the new National Development Plan, launched in Sligo last Friday. Traffic in the area was brought to a standstill this morning following a single…

The Coroner for Mayo has called for anti-roll bars to be made mandatory on quad machines which, he says, are being increasingly used not just on farms but also in industry and as 'fun vehicles' in holiday resorts. Coroner Patrick O'Connor highlighted the…

The new President of NUI Galway believes graduates should give back to their universities, to help fund the education of current third-level students. Ciarán Ó’hÓgartaigh told the Irish Independent that there was a great tradition of past students gifting…

Irish Water is reminding customers supplied by the Lough Talt Public Water supply scheme that the boil water notice remains in place until further notice. The boil alert was issued two weeks ago, following the detection of cryptosporidium in the treated water…

A section of the greenway that links Castlebar to Turlough is subsiding into the Castlebar river at present, but Mayo County Council Tourism Officer Anna O’Connor says work will get underway on restoring the path this week. Severe winter weather, with high…

Martin McDonagh's film “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” was the big winner at last night's British Academy of Film and Television Awards, winning five awards including Best Film. Three Billboards also scooped the trophies for Outstanding British…

The number of patients on trolleys at Irish hospitals today has reached 643. According to the Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation, there are 27 patients waiting for admission to a bed at both Sligo and Galway University Hospitals, with 7 on trolleys at Mayo…

The campaign is continuing in Easkey county Sligo to retain the village Post office. Secretary of the Save Easkey Post Office Campaign, Orla Cawley told Midwest News today that they hope to meet a representative of An Post about the situation later this week.…

The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) is calling for an extra 10 euros per ewe for hill flocks ahead of the Teagasc National Hill Sheep conference due to take place in Westport on Wednesday. Speaking in advance of the conference, INHFA Vice…

Sinn Féin is to seek independent legal advice on whether the Government’s National Planning Framework (NPF) announced on Friday last in Sligo, needs to be voted on in the Oireachtas. That’s according to today’s Irish Times. The strategy aims to manage an…

St Joseph’s National School Rehins, Ballina has been approved for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme. Minister Michael Ring says the funding is for work on the school’s roof and should get underway shortly. While the Dept of Education has also approved…

Emergency services are at the scene of a crash on the Headford Road ( N84). The collision occurred about 8am this morning at the Curragh Line. Gardaí say the road will be closed for a time while the crash is dealt with. Motorists are advised to take an…

There is good news for Galway on the jobs front with 75 new posts announced this morning. Quidel Corporation, which makes medical diagnostic equipment, is establishing a Business Centre in the city. The international company already employs approximately…

Plastic pollution is affecting marine life in some of the most remote parts of the Atlantic Ocean with almost three quarters of a sample of more than 230 deep-water fish collected by NUI Galway scientists having ingested plastic particles. According to the…

Galway RNLI Lifeboat rescued a man who got into difficulty after his dinghy capsized on Galway Bay this afternoon. The incident happened off Hare Island shortly before 1pm. A member of the public saw the man was unable to right the 15 foot vessel and notified…

Mayo County Council, in partnership with Social Innovation Fund Ireland, are hosting an information seminar for local social enterprises to learn more about how they can apply for funding from the new €1.6 million Social Enterprise Development Fund. The…

Engineers Week, which is the annual campaign to inspire the next generation of engineers, is set to take place in Mayo from Saturday February 24th to Friday March 2nd. Now in its 12th year, the annual event is co-ordinated on a national basis by Engineers…

Members of the People Before Profit Party in Sligo protested outside the gates of IT Sligo on Friday ahead of the special Cabinet meeting to rubberstamp the Ireland 2040 plan. The group were there to protest for a number of reasons. Local Cllr Gino O’Boyle…

There's been a jump in support for the Taoiseach and Fine Gael in today's opinion poll in the Sunday Independent. The Government party is backed by 38 per cent of the public, up six points since the last poll. Fianna Fail's down 1 to 28 per cent, while Sinn…

A Ballinrobe Cllr has called for any proposed traffic alleviation measures for Ballinrobe to be implemented as soon as possible. A report is being carried out at present to look at the traffic congestion in the town and come up with possible solutions.…

Garryduff Stores in Castlebar has sold a €500,000 EuroMillions ticket for last night’s draw. The shop on Pound Road in Castlebar sold the ticket for one of the top prizes in last night’s draw. This is the second big win for the store, as they sold the winning…

A Charlestown Councillor says he has to commend Minister Michael Ring and Deputy Sean Canney for the regional projects that have approved under the Ireland 2040 plan. However Sinn Fein Cllr Gerry Murray says as a member of the Committee of the Regions he was…

Just under400 customers are without power in the Cong area this morning. According to ESB Powercheck there are 368 customers without power and the estimated restoration time is 1.30pm this afternoon. That figure is down from 1000 earlier.

A man who died in a road collision earlier this week on the N5 will be laid to rest on Monday. Frank Walsh of Treenlaur, Kiltimagh died when the car he was driving collided with an articulated truck on the N5 at Swinford near the Applegreen. Frank’s remains…

The author of a new book about the Tuam Mother and Baby Home says time is running out for truth and justice. 'My Name is Bridget' documents the life of one woman who entered the home in her twenties, in 1946. Journalist Alison O'Reilly says Bridget Dolan died…

Motorists are being warned of black ice on many roads across the region this morning. The Swinford to Foxford Road is closed to traffic as a lorry has jack-knifed on that road. Traffic from Ballina should divert via Bohola. Black ice also reported on the N17…

A 60 year-old man who systematically sexually abused two of his young daughters - as well as another minor - over a prolonged period - was jailed for eight years today. The daughters waived their rights to anonymity in the case so that their abuser, John…

Gardai in Belmullet have made a number of drug seizures and arrests in recent days. €400 worth of cocaine was discovered in the docklands area of Belmullet and three people were questioned and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.…

The government has launched the National Planning Framework with 116 billion euro of investment announced. There's 22 billion for measures to tackle climate change as well as large investments in health, housing, education and transport. Project 2040 was…

Ministers have been keen to point out that the National Planning Framework is not Dublin-focused. But with 40 percent of the population living in the Greater Dublin Area, and congestion a growing problem, those who work and live in the capital want a slice of…

A group has protested outside the gates of IT Sligo yesterday ahead of a Cabinet meeting to voice their concern over any proposed closure of Easkey Post Office. The postmaster there is due to retire and the future of Easkey Post Office is now under review by…

A suspect device was removed from a house in Sligo last night. The device, which is believed to be an old one, was found in a house on the Cleveragh Road around 5pm yesterday evening. Gardai evacuated the area around the house and the road in the area was…

The government is to launch its 115 billion euro 'Ireland 2040' plan later. The document will outline how Ireland should develop over the next 20 years and where big capital spending will be done. The cabinet is holding a special meeting in Sligo to approve…

Motorists are being warned of black ice in some parts of the region this morning. Gardai say some roads around the Castlerea area are slippery, while there are patches around Boyle, Carrick-on-Shannon and Sligo Town this morning. While most main routes are…

A Galway TD says she is hopeful that the Government’s Capital Plan, which will be announced tomorrow, will provide for a new state of the art elective hospital for Galway and the west in Merlin Park. Fine Gael Deputy Hildegarde Naughton told Midwest News…

A Roscommon TD says he wants answers from TII about what is happening in regards to the gritting of major routes in the county. There were very poor driving conditions on many roads in Roscommon this morning following snow overnight, including accidents on…

The HSE decision to restrict access to the pain patch Versatis must be reviewed and the patches reinstated until such time as the concerns regarding its withdrawal are addressed. That’s according to Mayo Sinn Fein Senator Rose Conway Walsh. She is encouraging…

Describing illegal dumping as ‘economic and environmental treason’ the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Roscommon based, Denis Naughten has allocated €2 million this year for a targeted crackdown on illegal dumping black spots…

Legislation is being introduced to compensate landowners affected by broadband cables running through counties Mayo and Galway. The Galway Mayo Ducting and Cables Telecommunications Network was installed as part of the Corrib Gas pipeline project between 2006…

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D., and the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Eoghan Murphy T.D., today announced that Ireland has been formally granted a ‘derogation’ under the Nitrates Directive…

A master plan for the development of Moore Hall and its environs is expected to be put before members of Mayo county council by this Autumn. That was confirmed by Director of Services for the local authority, Catherine McConnell at a meeting of the Special…

The N5 Road between Tulsk and Ballinagare has reopened to traffic following the removal of a jack-knifed truck. Conditions remain slippery in that area so Gardai are advising motorists to exercise caution. The N4 on the Boyle side of Carrick on Shannon is…

Mayo County Council needs to take action to remove a dangerous bend at Bruff, Aughamore – that’s according to Fianna Fail Councillor John Caulfield. At a meeting of the Claremorris Municipal District of Mayo County Council, Councillor Caulfield outlined the…

An event will take place this Friday to mark the beginning of demolition at Gilmartin Road in Tuam. The road is due to undergo an €8m rejuvenation project from Friday, which will involve the demolition of 30 old houses and the construction of 40 new homes. 21…

Snow and ice are making driving conditions difficult across the region this morning. Snow is reported on many routes – motorists report hazardous conditions between Foxford and Castlebar this morning, also on routes around Claremorris, Castlebar, Westport…

623 people are on trolleys in hospitals across the country today. That includes 32 patients at Sligo University Hospital, 29 at University Hospital Galway, 4 at Mayo University Hospital and 4 at Portiuncla Hospital in Ballinasloe. According to the INMO, the…

A spokesperson for the Japanese Knotweed Company has confirmed to Midwest News this evening that the application for planning permission for the soil recovery facility at Brookhill, Claremorris has been withdrawn for the moment. Ciaran O’Shea from the company…

Mayo’s commercial vacancy rate stood at 15 percent in the 4th quarter of last year (2017), according to the latest GeoDirectory Geoview Commercial Vacancy Report. The research reveals that three quarters (74 %) of the vacant commercial address points in Mayo…

The journey of the former International Rosary Priest, Fr Patrick Peyton, towards Sainthood is progressing. The late priest from Attymass, outside Ballina, was made venerable by Pope Frances at the end of last year (2017). The extensive process in becoming a…

Members of the public will be asked to join a new collaborative forum, as part of the Mother and Baby Homes' investigation, which includes the former Bon Secours facility in Tuam. The Childrens' Minister updated the Dail last night on the delay to the final…

Plans for a Galway Ring Road have been called "male" and "stale". An application for a new route to relieve traffic jams in the city is being lodged this month. Critics say other innovative solutions ,like a light rail system, are needed instead. Independent…

Parents fear siblings will be split by a decision to limit enrolment numbers at multi- denominational schools. The Department of Education is restricting enrolment at five Educate Together schools to a half-stream limit, which means just 13 new pupils will be…

The N5 at Carrabawn, Swinford has re-opened to traffic in the past few minutes (1pm) following a fatal collision yesterday afternoon. A car and lorry collided on the N5, near the Applegreen store, just before 4pm. The 61-year-old man driving the car was…

A road traffic collision has claimed the life of a man in Swinford this afternoon. The collision between a car and an articulated truck on the N5 at Swinford near the Applegreen Store occurred shortly before 3.30pm. One person was pronounced dead at the scene…

A serving member of an Garda Siochana, who denied sexually assaulting a woman after getting into her bed in a hotel room in the West of Ireland, dramatically changed his plea to guilty at the Circuit Criminal Court in Castlebar this morning. The change of…

A barrier has been erected at the entrance to Marsh House in Castlebar, the location of the new Educate Together Primary School, and it is preventing vehicles accessing the public Council car park located beside the school. The matter was raised by…

A special Cabinet meeting will take place in Sligo this Friday. The Cabinet meeting will get underway at 11am at IT Sligo, and will be followed by the launch by Taoiseach Leo Varadker of Project Ireland 2040 – the National Planning Framework and National…

Rents in Co Mayo rose by just over 9% in the year to December 2017, according to the latest report from property website Daft.ie Nationally, rents rose by over 10% last year, while in Mayo, rents were on average 9.1% higher in the final three months of 2017…

The parish priest of Swinford, Fr Dermot Meehan, has been elected Diocesan Administrator for the Diocese of Achonry. This follows the appointment of Bishop Brendan Kelly as Bishop of Galway. Fr Meehan – a native of Ballymote in Co Sligo -will continue to be…

“Don’t hurt the one you love” is the message contained in a Valentine’s card which will be distributed to students at the Mayo campus of GMIT this Wednesday. Mayo County Council’s Road Safety Office is leading the campaign, which reminds young drivers to slow…

Gardai have made what is believed to be a significant breakthrough into a spate of recent burglaries in the Castlebar area. That’s according to a story in today’s Connaught Telegraph. A suspect was arrested on Thursday morning last at an address close to the…

Mayo County Council has deferred a decision on whether to lease a disused quarry near Claremorris to a Co. Kerry firm which specialises in the control and eradication of Japanese Knotweed. Residents of the Brookhill area, where the five-acre quarry is…

Farmers from across the region travelled to Co Leitrim today to protest at what they claim is an “unworkable” fodder support scheme. Mayo, Galway, Roscommon, Sligo and Leitrim farmers were all represented at the demonstration which took place at Department of…

The Minister for Health Simon Harris and the Minister for Mental Health Jim Daly have both agreed to meet a delegation to discuss the future of the Rosalie Home in Castlerea. That’s according to Roscommon FG Senator Maura Hopkins, who has spoken with both…

47 motor insurance claims were made in Mayo last year, relating to uninsured or untraced drivers. The number of claims from Co Mayo was up 7% since 2016 last year and by 52% since 2015. The Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland received over 2,700 such claims…

Met Eireann has issued a weather advisory, warning that a spell of wet and windy weather, with thundery downpours, will sweep eastwards over the country this evening and tonight. Gusts between 90 and 110km/h will occur in Atlantic coastal fringes for a time.…

The Health & Safety Authority is today starting a 2-week long farm inspection campaign, with 400 inspections planned focusing on safe working with livestock. After tractors and machinery, accidents involving livestock are the next most common cause of…

Workers in Section 39 organisations – including Western Care, Ability West and Rehab – have deferred the strike action which was scheduled for this Wednesday, following an agreement facilitated by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), to begin a process…

Up to fifty people are facing homelessness in Castlebar over the next number of months, as a single landlord has decided to sell his extensive rental properties and has issued tenants with the appropriate notice that they must leave. The issue was raised by…

Increase the hourly rate in the council carparks in Westport, rather than introduce street car parking charges in the town. That’s the view of Fine Gael councillor Tereasa McGuire. She told Midwest News this morning that if Tom Gilligan, Director of Services…

The new bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora delivered a strongly pro-life message at his installation Mass yesterday, expressing concern that "human life from its tiniest origins" might be forgotten. Galway-native Bishop Brendan Kelly was chosen by…

A national yellow weather alert has been issued for wet and windy weather with a risk of downpours. The warning comes into effect this evening at 5pm until 6am tomorrow (Tuesday) morning. Gusts of up to 110km/h are expected in coastal areas. Further build ups…

A Judicial Review of then Minister Alex White's decision to grant consent to Shell, 29 December 2015, to operate the Corrib Gas pipeline begins in the High Court on Tuesday. The hearing is scheduled to last for four days. Shell to Sea spokesperson Maura…

Large crowds are expected at Galway Cathedral this afternoon for the installation of Brendan Kelly as Bishop of Galway. He was formally the Bishop of Achonry. Among those in attendance today will be his family and friends, representatives from church groups…

The Government’s National Development Plan and National Planning Framework are expected to be published next week. Ministers are still negotiating with the Finance Minister Paschal Donohue ahead of the publication of the 115 billion euro development plan,…

The country remains under a status yellow snow-ice weather warning until midnight tonight. Wintry showers are set to bring up to 3cm of snow in some areas. Larger accumulations of snow are expected on higher ground, especially in Ulster and Connacht. The AA…

Claremorris Gardaí are investigating following a number of break-ins to cars parked at Brickens Church yesterday evening. Gardai say the incidents occurred between 7.45pm and 8.45pm last night. Anyone who has information is asked to contact Claremorris Gardai…

€30,000 has been granted for traffic calming measures in the village of Kilkelly. Local Fianna Fail Cllr. John Caulfield says Kilkelly is the shortest route on to the N17 for many commuters. Cllr. Caulfield says he has fought for some time to have the speed…

The Irish Natura & Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) are to hold a protest to highlight the need for a fodder aid scheme that will deliver for farmers who are experiencing fodder shortages. Gerry Loftus of the INHFA outlined how the Minister has ignored the…

A status yellow snow-ice warning has been issued for Ireland from midnight tonight until midnight tomorrow. Met Eireann says wintry showers will give accumulations of up to 3 cm of snow, with larger amounts on higher ground. There's also a status yellow wind…

Revenue are to investigate a suspected pensions underpayments scandal that could see thousands of people in line for refunds. It's being claimed some pension companies have failed to pay out increases under schemes that are supposed to cover rising prices. A…

Some traffic disruption can be expected on the streets of Ballinrobe this evening (Friday) and tomorrow during the Ballinrobe Duathlon event. Organisers are advising that there may be some traffic disruption this evening between 6-8pm especially around the…

A public meeting in Castlerea last night on the future of the Rosalie Unit heard that a now senior Minister had received written confirmation of assurances given in 2015 over the future of the unit. The meeting was held last night over fears about the future…

A Fianna Fail Cllr. is calling on the Government to put in place a permanent ambulance team in Loughlynn in West Roscommon. At present the base has no permanent ambulance or staff. The base was opened in January 2016 and Paschal Fitzmaurice says it’s totally…

Gardai are warning of dangerous driving conditions this morning due to snow and ice in many parts of the region. Gardai say conditions in the Ballina, Claremorris and Castlerea areas are especially slippery, while side roads in those areas are very dangerous.…

A Fine Gael Cllr has described the current fodder transport subsidy scheme as a cocktail of bureaucracy. Roscommon Fine Gael Cllr Liam Callaghan says while the scheme is very welcome, many farmers are disappointed with the amount of paperwork and third party…

IDA Ireland has launched ‘Invest in Mayo’, the latest phase of its digital marketing initiative for attracting inward investment by highlighting the specific attributes of individual regional urban centres. ‘Invest in Mayo’ is an interactive experience…

Midwest Radio continues to command the highest listenership of any local station in the country. The latest JNLR / Ipsos MRBI radio survey, covering the 12 months from January to December 2017- shows a Yesterday Listened figure of 61%, with an equally…

Roscommon Fine Gael Senator Maura Hopkins has confirmed that she will be voting NO in the forthcoming referendum on repealing the 8th amendment. Senator Hopkins says she does support terminations in case of rape, incest and fatal foetal abnormalities, and…

The Taoiseach has promised that no railway lines will be closed under his leadership. Speaking in the Dail yesterday, Leo Varadkar insisted that no rail services are facing the axe, despite the financial pressures facing Irish Rail. He was responding to…

A Mayo Senator is calling on the Health Minister to intervene, as patients suffering chronic pain can no longer access the pain relief drug Versatis on their medical card. This affects about 25,000 people in total, including a large number of people in Co…

A man was arrested following a drugs seizure in Ballina last night. The Crime Task Force in Ballina carried out a planned search of a house in the Quay area of the town, and seized a quantity of cannabis. One male was arrested on suspicion of sale and supply,…

Met Eireann has issued another status yellow snow &ice warning for the entire country. Scattered snow showers can be expected tonight and tomorrow morning, with small accumulations possible. Showers will be most frequent in the west and north of the country.…

Councillors in the Claremorris Municipal District have voted unanimously NOT to lease land in Brookhill, Claremorris to a company that controls and eradicates Japanese Knotweed. At yesterday’s meeting of the Municipal District, councillors were asked to…

A woman told the Circuit Criminal Court, sitting in Castlebar, yesterday that she was sexually assaulted while asleep by a man who got into bed beside her. The alleged victim told Judge Rory MacCabe and a jury that she was awakened from a deep sleep in an…

A public meeting will take place in Castlerea tonight, to discuss the future of the Rosalie Care Home. The unit currently accommodates 12 elderly patients with Alzheimers and dementia, but the future of the home is in doubt, following an admission recently by…

An Achill man has been jailed for two years for his role in an aggravated burglary, during which a husband and wife were tied up in their home and threatened with an imitation firearm. The court heard that 20-year old Declan Maxwell and another man, who is…

The National Lottery has confirmed that an 18-person syndicate won last night’s Euromillions Plus prize of half a million euro. The syndicate is a group of administration staff from Portiuncla Hospital in Ballinasloe. The winning Quick Pick ticket was bought…

Erris Chamber and businesses in Belmullet are totally against the proposed introduction of parking charges in the town – that’s according to the chairperson of Erris Chamber, Damien Langan. He was reacting to news this week that Mayo County Council is…

Irish Water is reminding customers that the boil water notice, issued on Monday for the Lough Talt Public Water supply scheme, remains in place until further notice, following the detection of cryptosporidium in the treated water. Irish Water has now…

A Co Galway pharmacist is calling for tougher sentencing, for those convicted of burglaries and similar types of crime against pharmacists. The Irish Pharmacy Union published a survey this week, showing that 80% of pharmacies were victims of crime in the past…

An Post is to offer a new contract to Ardnaree Post Office in Ballina. There was concern expressed about the future of Ardnaree Post Office in recent weeks, as the current postmaster is to retire in March. An Post undertook a Public Consultation on the…

Patients and workers at Portiuncula hospital in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway have this morning been urged to check their EuroMillions tickets after Tuesday night’s EuroMillions draw produced another EuroMillions Plus top prize winner of €500,000 – the fifth win in…

A review of the National Broadband Plan would "plunge the whole project into uncertainty" according to the Communications Minister. He was responding to a Fianna Fáil motion calling for an urgent examination of the controversial process. The huge project has…

Gardai are warning motorists to exercise caution on the roads this morning. While most of the main roads have been gritted, snow and ice in some areas are making driving conditions hazardous. Caution is advised especially in the Claremorris area, where…

Gardai are investigating a single vehicle collision in Loughrea in Co Galway, in which a man died yesterday. The collision occurred at approximately 8am yesterday morning on Barrack Street, Loughrea when a car collided with a steel barrier. The male driver,…

Galway Senator Trevor O’Clochartaigh is to resign his position in the Seanad, after being appointed Communications Manager for TG4. The Carraroe-based Senator has previously worked in Irish-language theatre and television production, having been involved with…

Efforts to preserve a rare snail species appear to have taken priority over the rights of 13,000 people having a safe water supply from the Lough Talt, in county Sligo. That’s the view of local Independent cllr Margaret Gormley. The householders in South and…

Emergency services attended the scene of a single-vehicle crash in Castlerea yesterday evening. The driver of the car was taken to Sligo University Hospital by ambulance with serious head injuries following the collision, which occurred at about 6pm on the…

"They can dress it up anyway they want to, but the introduction of car parking charges on the streets in eight additional Mayo towns, is just a money making exercise by Mayo county County Council." That’s the view of Westport based Fianna Fail cllr Brendan…

Country music legend Kris Kristofferson will play a concert in Mayo this Summer. It’s been confirmed that the three-time Grammy winner will play four Irish concerts in June, including 24th June at the Royal Theatre in Castlebar, as well as concerts in Derry,…

The Minister for Health Simon Harris will today seek Cabinet support to rationalise the provision of trauma care services in hospitals across the country as part of a €57 million reform programme. That’s according to the Irish Times. Minister Harris has faced…

Rail services to Mayo, Sligo and Galway are under threat unless Irish Rail receives 460 million euro cash injection for the rail network, according to a front page story on today’s Irish Independent. The government has been told that intercity services to…

Rail services to Mayo, Galway and Sligo are among those under threat unless Irish Rail receives a 460 million euro cash injection. That’s according to a front page story this morning in the Irish Independent. The Government has been warned that Intercity…

Fianna Fáil is calling for an independent review of the Government’s broadband procurement process in the Dail today following Eir’s surprise decision to quit the process last week. However, Minister for Communications Denis Naughten, insists he will face…

A nationwide Status Yellow snow and ice warning came into effect this morning. It came into effect at 4am and lasts until midnight Tuesday for the entire country. It is the second snow-ice warning to hit the country within 24 hours. Met Éireann is this…

A boil water notice has been issued this evening for the Lough Talt Regional Water Supply scheme, following the detection of cryptosporidium in the treated water coming from the plant. About 13,000 people are affected in the towns of Tubbercurry and…

A public meeting will be held this Wednesday evening to try and prevent the closure of Easkey Post Office in Co Sligo. The current postmaster is retiring shortly and An Post has opened a public consultation process, before deciding whether or not to…

Motorists are being advised to slow down with two weather warnings in place for snow & ice. Snow and ice are forecast this evening and tonight in Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan, Leitrim, Cork, Tipperary and Waterford, with up to 3 cm of snow leading to hazardous…

Mayo County Council is spearheading a new campaign, to encourage dog owners to act responsibly over dog fouling. Residents associations, Tidy Towns groups and other community groups have raised concerns across the county about the incidents of dog fouling on…

A status yellow snow and ice warning has been issued for this evening. A band of wintry showers will sweep across the country later, as temperatures plummet once again. Counties Sligo, Leitrim ,Roscommon are among a number of counties where accumulations of…

Minister Denis Naughten has confirmed that the Government has allocated €2.18m for primary and post primary schools in Counties Roscommon & Galway to purchase equipment which will enable them to integrate digital technology in teaching and learning. 90…

A spate of break-ins occurred across county Mayo over the weekend. Gardai are investigating 8 separate incidents that occurred in the Claremorris/ Ballyhaunis/ Ballindine area, and 4 further burglaries in the Castlebar area. The thieves gained entry by…

The Cabinet's due to hold a special meeting today on what's being described as one of the most significant reports in recent times. The new National Planning Framework is expected to be published in the coming weeks - but is facing strong opposition with…

The State Pension is not being abolished, according to the Government. A new report suggesting it might be replaced with a new scheme, in which workers would be automatically enrolled, created fears it would be scrapped. But the Minister for Social Protection…

The IFA say there are still a number of farmers in Achill and in Sligo that are awaiting payments which were stopped over fires on their land. This saga has been ongoing for the best part of nine months. Numerous meetings have taken place over the past while,…

If anyone has any suspicion of illegal drug dealing in Westport, they are welcome to pass it on to local Independent councillor Christy Hyland and he will gladly pass it on to the Gardai. The councillor says often families panic when they discover that a…

Mayo County Council was last night named Council of the Year at the 2018 LAMA Awards in Croke Park. The accolade recognises the efforts of Mayo County Council working with community to deliver projects and initiatives across the county. Two projects also went…

A number of Mayo individuals and groups have been nominated for the 2018 All Ireland Community & Council Awards. The awards are hosted annually by the Local Authority Members Association and IPB Insurance, and the winners will be announced at a gala ceremony…

Sitting Roscommon/Galway Fianna Fail TD Eugene Murphy was last night selected by the party to stand for the party in the next General Election. Deputy Murphy was unanimously selected and ratified to be the single candidate for the party in the constituency.…

Work will start next Monday week 12th February to replace lead pipes from the public water network on the Athlone Road in Roscommon. Irish Water says old and damaged water mains will also be replaced as part of the works. The work is expected to take about 8…

A public meeting will take place in the Hodson Bay Hotel in Athlone next Monday night, to discuss concerns about the National Planning Framework. The Government is currently drafting a plan for the country until 2040 , and will become the basis for future…

A Mayo Fine Gael Senator has called for no cuts to be imposed on road maintenance funding in the North West, particularly given the extreme weather conditions faced this winter.
Senator John O’Mahony has asked the Minister for Transport Shane Ross to…

A 65 year old woman is running over 5000 km over 5 months to raise funds for the RNLI.
Mary Nolan Hickey set off from Arklow on New Year’s Day.
So far she has raised over €10,000 for the RNLI.
Mary left Ballina this morning and is en route to…

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) Trolley Watch Figures, showed that 12,201 people waited on trolleys in Emergency Departments or on additional beds placed throughout hospitals, during the month of January (2018). This is an 18% increase over…

Can you argue for any other right if you deny the weakest, the child in the womb, the right to life? That was the question posed this morning by the Bishop of Galway Dr Brendan Kelly speaking on Midwest Radio.
The former Bishop of Achonry, who be formally…

One of the largest hotels in Connemara has warned that poor broadband infrastructure is costing jobs.
Ronnie Counihan, managing director of Renvyle House Hotel, told today’s Irish Times, that conference business worth more than €200,000 has been lost in…

New car sales in Mayo were down 16% in January, compared to the same period last year.
This is considerably lower than the national drop of 5% in sales of new 181 cars.
682 new cars were registered in Mayo last month, compared to 816 in January 2016.
Galway…

The wait continues for residents in the Carrowholly area of Westport, who are waiting 4 years now to have a flood wall rebuilt that would save their homes from the impact of winter storms.
The saga is ongoing for years, as a range of planning issues continues…

A court heard today that hundreds of images and movie clips showing graphic scenes of child pornography were found on the laptop of a 76 year-old former resident of Clare Island, Co. Mayo, when Gardai visited his home.
Judge Rory MacCabe was told at Castlebar…

Two Government Ministers from the West have objected to proposals to rationalise the provision of trauma care services in hospitals across the country.
A new plan, drawn up by an expert group, would see the country divided into two trauma networks for dealing…

There were four Mayo winners at the Irish Wedding Awards, which were held earlier this week in Dublin.
The awards aim to celebrate the work and commitment of those working in the Irish wedding industry, and funds raised on the night go to the Make A Wish…

One of the two remaining candidates seeking a Fianna Fail nomination for the Roscommon-Galway constituency has withdrawn, just a day ahead of the selection convention.
The Fianna Fail convention takes place in the Abbey Hotel in Roscommon tomorrow evening,…

Ireland West Airport Knock is one of only two Irish airports shortlisted for three awards in the prestigious Moodie Davitt airport digital, mobile and social media awards. The awards recognise excellence in social and digital media among airports and their…

The Communications Minister says the national broadband plan will now be rolled out quicker than planned, following the decision by Eir to withdraw its contract bid.
The State’s largest telecoms group pulled out yesterday, just months before work is scheduled…

All public water schemes in Co Mayo are compliant with EU and national water standards following the removal of two schemes by the Environmental Protection Agency from the Remedial Action List.
The RAL is updated quarterly by the EPA for those water supplies…

Leaving Cert students from across the country have until this evening to fill out their CAO form.
It's used to list course preferences for those thinking of studying at third-level.
However, a change of mind facility will open in the summer if students aren't…

The Communications Minister claims we are the global leaders when it comes to rolling out broadband.
Denis Naughten says no other country in the world is trying to bring high speed broadband to every single home and premises.
His comments follow the news that…

Minister Denis Naughten will meet today (Thursday) with the CEO of An Post to make the case for the retention of Ardnaree Post Office in Ballina.
The meeting had been scheduled for yesterday but was deferred until today.
The Post Master in Ardnaree Post…

The government has confirmed Eir has formally withdrawn from the National Broadband Plan bid.
In a statement the Communications Minister Denis Naughten says the provider notified his department of its decision to withdraw from the procurement process.
Eir,…

A syndicate of friends from county Mayo were in the National Lottery Office in Dublin today to claim a prize of €152,343 after matching five numbers and the bonus number on the Lotto draw from Wednesday 24th January. They were just one number shy of the then…

Power has been restored to more than half the householders and businesses that lost their supply mid morning in the North Mayo area, due to lightening.
There are just under 9,000 ESB customers still without a supply in the Ballina area.
Power went down across…

Fianna Fail will hold its selection convention for the Roscommon / Galway constituency this Friday night at the Abbey Hotel in Roscommon.
There are now just two candidates seeking nomination to contest the next election for Fianna Fail – sitting TD Eugene…

A new 30 km/h speed limit will come into effect from tomorrow, 1st Feb, at a further 130 housing estates under the control of Mayo County Council.
Signs are now being erected in these housing estates to remind motorists of the 30 km/h limit.
This brings to…

The four-star McWilliam Park Hotel in Claremorris has been sold for a sum in the region of 9 million euro.
Agent JLL handled the sale of the Claremorris hotel, which has become a popular venue for country music concerts and dances.
The hotel also has 103…

A man with a Co. Mayo address pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court yesterday to possessing child pornography images almost two years ago.
Following his guilty plea, Hugh Condron of Brookville Avenue, Swinford, was remanded by Judge Rory MacCabe…

A Memorial Cycle to honour the four members of the Rescue 116 tragedy off the Mayo coast last year will take place in March from Dublin to Blacksod.
“Miles in the Memory” is an initiative organised by members of the Ballyglass Coastguard Unit, An Garda…

The country is bracing itself for a cold, windy and very showery day, while motorists are advised to expect frost and the risk of icy patches in sheltered spots this morning.
A status yellow wind warning is in place today for the western coastal counties of…

It’s time for the Government to take its head out of the sand and restore the pay of people working in Section 39 organisations – that’s according to Mayo Fianna Fail TD Dara Calleary.
Siptu members working in these organisations – including Western Care,…

A woman who set her rented accommodation alight causing more than €39,000 damage later admitted in phone calls to 999 emergency operators that she had started the fire deliberately.
As a result of the arson attack at Altamont Street, Westport, on May 13,…

A man pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court today to 20 counts of sexual assault on a number of females at locations in the west of Ireland over a 22 year period.
Reporting restrictions in the case were imposed by Judge Rory MacCabe, which means…

The Air Accident Investigation Unit says it will not be possible to issue a final report into the accident involving Rescue 116 and its four crew members off north Mayo last March – within 12 months of the date of the accident.
However, in line with national…

Industrial sites in Mayo and Galway are among 8 sites on the current EPA National Priority Site List for enforcement. Shell E&P Ireland Ltd in Mayo, and East Galway Residual Landfill Site are among the 8 industrial and waste sites listed by the Environmental…

A Charity Cycle in memory of the four members of the Rescue 116 tragedy off the Mayo coast last year will take place in March from Dublin to Blacksod.
Miles in the Memory is an initiative organised by the Coast Guard, An Garda Siochana and Belmullet Cycling…

A report into Direct Provision centres by the Ombudsman shows some residents are reluctant to complain about the facilities because it might affect their status in Ireland.
According to the report, 97 formal complaints were made by people living in Direct…

A quantity of cannabis was seized by gardai last night in Ballina.
It followed the search of a house in the Ballina area by the Crime Task Force Unit working with local gardai. They recovered illegal cannabis herb, with an estimated street value of 1000…

Gardai in Westport have confirmed that the N5 road approaching Westport from Castlebar is closed, after a car went on fire in The Lodge area.
It’s understood no-one was injured in the incident.
Gardai expect the road to reopen to traffic later this morning.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says he'll campaign to repeal the 8th amendment in the upcoming referendum.
The government has decided to hold a vote in May on liberalising Ireland's abortion laws.
Leo Varadkar confirmed he supports allowing abortion without…

A day out, a good meal, meeting friends and learning new skills are just some of the reasons why so many elderly people travel into Castlebar Social Services Centre, one day a week.
The centre is located in the Castle Street car park in the town centre, and…

Homecare Medical Supplies in Ballyhaunis will be announcing redundancies in the coming days.
This follows on from a decision handed down in the Commercial Court this afternoon, in the HSE case to lift an automatic suspension which prevented them awarding…

Tonight’s Crimecall programme on RTE One television will appeal for information on an unidentified man who was found dead in Rusheen Woods, Barna, Co Galway over three years ago.
Gardai have been unable to identify the decomposed body, which was found by a…

Emerging trends and careers in Digital Media and how companies can stay competitive will be the focus of a public seminar in the GMIT Mayo campus tomorrow, which will be delivered by leading professionals and academics in digital media, marketing and…

Staff at health and care service organisations across the country have voted to strike in a row over pay restoration. The stoppage will involve SIPTU workers at Section 39 organisations – including Western Care, Ability West, the Cheshire Foundation and Rehab…

60 new jobs were created in the Mayo Gaeltacht in 2017. This amounted to a net increase of 8 jobs on the previous year and means that there were 648 full-time jobs in Údarás na Gaeltachta client companies in the Mayo Gaeltacht at the end of the year.
That’s…

Gardaí and Crimestoppers have today launched an appeal for information in relation to the death of 21-year-old Joe Deacy, following an incident at Swinford, on Saturday 12th August last.
Joe Deacy of St. Albans in the UK, was discovered outside a house at…

The Government's accused of bringing jobs to cities like Dublin and Galway at the expense of counties like Roscommon, Mayo and Waterford.
Fianna Fail's spokesperson on Business and Enterprise says two out of every three IDA properties were unoccupied at the…

The Cabinet will hold a special meeting this evening, at which ministers are expected formally to agree to hold a referendum on the Eighth Amendment.
The Government has made a commitment to hold a referendum in early summer and a clearer commitment is…

Communications Minister Denis Naughten will this week seek Government approval to appoint a dedicated digital safety officer and try to have the role of that person clearly defined within weeks.
According to today’s Irish Independent, Minister Naughten's…

If every garda in the Mayo division was assigned to the county’s drugs unit, it would not be enough to deal with the drug problem in the county, according to Ballina Independent councillor Gerry Ginty.
The councillor was speaking at the County Joint Policing…

Met Éireann has forecast that from tonight and into Wednesday, temperatures will plunge and there will be the possibility of hail, sleet and snow.
Tonight temperatures will dip to freezing in places.
Tomorrow will be largely dry but showers in the north-west…

The National Standards Authority of Ireland is going to put its seal of approval on the type of remedial work which will result in the solution of fixing a house which has been affected by pyrite.
This news was confirmed to Senator Michelle Mulherin by…

A man who died following a fire incident at his apartment in Castlebar in the early hours of yesterday morning has been named. He was Martin Costello of No 1 Erris Flats, Castle Street, Castlebar and was in his 40’s. Neighbouring flat dwellers raised the…

Friends of the two young Irish Kayakers who died in Ecuador earlier this month have set up a fundraising page to repatriate their bodies.
The go fund me page was set up 4 days ago aiming to raise 25 thousand euro - it's currently less than a thousand euro off…

There's good news for the Taoiseach in the latest political opinion poll.
Today's Sunday Business Post/Red C poll places support for Fine Gael up five points to 32 percent - while every other party either stayed where they were or dropped.
The paper's…

Last year saw the highest-ever number of passenger journeys on the Mayo/Dublin rail line.
A total of 559,000 journeys were made on this route in 2017 – an increase of almost 5% on the previous year.
Nationally, 45.5 million passenger journeys were recorded…

Around 1,500 people attended a public demonstration in Ballina today which was organised as part of the community campaign to retain Ardnaree Post Office.
The match commenced at the Dunnes Stores car park in Ballina before proceeding to Ardnaree Post Office,…

A man died overnight in a fire related incident in Castlebar, Co. Mayo. The victim, who was in his forties had been living in an apartment at a premises at Castle Street known as the old Erris Hotel. The alarm was raised by neighbouring flat dwellers who…

A public demonstration will take place today in Ballina as part of the community campaign to retain Ardnaree Post Office.
It’s being described as a demonstration of solidarity that will send a clear message to An Post that the community is united in its stand…

More than 20 percent of Mayo Farmers have not received any funding as yet for their 2017 Glas payments.
Mayo Fianna Fail deputy Lisa Chambers says the matter is completely unacceptable, and despite raising the matter in the Dail, she told Midwest News there…

Midwest Radio can confirm that all members of the Mayo boxing fraternity involved in the National Boxing Finals in Dublin on Friday night are safe and well.
After a reported shooting at approximately 9.45pm on the South Circular Road near the National Arena,…

A Mayo Senator has welcomed the opinion of the Governor of the Central Bank that regulated vulture funds accept an invitation from the Finance Committee to appear before it.
Sinn Fein Senator Rose Conway-Walsh, who is a member of the committee, says the…

There was great excitement this week in the offices of Tochar Valley Rural Community Network , based in Mayo Abbey, when the Mayo Person of the Year 2018, Sr Maureen Lally returned from Dublin having received the honour of being named Mayo Person of the Year…

A Sligo based Health food company has signed a deal with Primark for their products to be stocked at 280 stores across Europe.
Good4U will distribute their healthy snacks in 8 markets.
The company are hiring ten people immediately with a further ten positions…

Ireland’s largest discount retailer, Dealz, will celebrate the opening of their 62nd store in Ballina, Co. Mayo tomorrow. The newly opened store located at Bartra House on Pearse Street, will create 20 new jobs in the area and is the retailer’s second store…

Mayo is to receive an initial allocation of 375,000 euro for the enhancement of group water schemes around the county.
That’s according to Mayo-based Minister Michael Ring, who says further allocations to support group water schemes will be made in due…

A public demonstration is planned for Saturday in Ballina as part of the community campaign to retain Ardnaree Post Office.
It’s being described as a demonstration of solidarity that will send a clear message to An Post that the community is united in its…

Patches of black ice are being reported by motorists across the region this morning.
While temperatures remained well above freezing in some parts, other areas experienced sub zero figures.
There are reports of black ice close to Ballyhaunis this morning and…

The ban on serving alcohol on Good Friday is to be lifted.
The Dáil has passed legislation this afternoon allowing pubs to serve alcohol on Good Friday.
The legislation will now go to the President, and will be signed into law before Good Friday this year -…

The European Commission is to take Ireland back to the EU Court of Justice for not carrying out an environmental impact assessment of the Derrybrien wind farm in Co. Galway.
70 turbines were constructed at the site 13 years ago making it the biggest windfarm…

Work will get underway next Monday on replacing old water mains on the Tooreen Road, Ballyhaunis.
Irish Water and Mayo Co Co will replace 1.2 kilometres of problematic water mains on the Tooreen Road, and will replace a number of old damaged service…

The HSE is proposing to establish treatment hubs in Galway and Sligo for people with eating disorders.
The Irish Times reports that a new model of care has been launched for the treatment of eating disorders.
As part of the HSE plan, adult and child eating…

The icon of the World Meeting of Families is visiting St Patrick’s Church in Ballyhaunis at present.
The icon, which was unveiled at Knock Shrine last August – is currently visiting a number of parishes in the Archdiocese of Tuam.
It was created to encourage…

€152,000 was won by one lucky Lotto player who purchased their ticket in Ballina for last night’s draw.
The player matched 5 numbers and the bonus number in the draw to win €152,343.
The ticket was purchased at Daniel’s Costcutter Store on the Killala Road in…

The Harbour Mill in Westport has been voted the No 1 ‘Top Hotel for Families in Ireland’ by Trip Advisor.
The Harbour Mill is located on Westport Quay.
This accolade is earned by receiving consistently high reviews on Trip Advisor, the world’s largest travel…

The emergency services were called to a house fire outside Ballaghaderreen last night.
Gardai confirmed to Midwest News that a fire got out of control at the home of a elderly couple close to Edmonstown on the Gurteen Road, outside Ballaghaderreen in the…

A Roscommon TD says alarm bells are ringing in relation to the future of the Rosalie Unit at Aras Naomh Chaolain in Castlerea.
Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice was speaking after a meeting between a Roscommon deputation and Minister for Mental Health and…

The Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has today announced the introduction of a Fodder Transport Support measure to provide additional assistance to livestock farmers in the West/North West most severely affected by the prolonged wet weather last…

Galway West TD Eamon O’Cuiv says it’s important that the views of all members of the Fianna Fail Parliamentary Party – and not just the party leader’s views – are expressed in the media in the run-up to the proposed abortion referendum.
Deputy O’Cuiv was one…

A Labour Court hearing due to take place this afternoon in relation to Lloyds Pharmacy has been postponed.
Lloyds Pharmacy have over 90 pharmacies nationwide, including Westport, Claremorris and Galway city.
Mandate trade union members in Lloyds Pharmacies…

The M17 motorway between Tuam and Athenry is open again to traffic. It has been closed in both directions, following a number of collisions this morning.
A number of accidents were reported to gardai, including a collision involving two trucks and 5 cars. No…

A Ballaghaderreen man is to receive the Freedom of Roscommon for his contribution to the arts.
89-year old Brian O’Doherty has lived in New York for the past 50 years, and is a renowned artist, art critic, author and academic.
Some of his art work is on…

A small village in county Mayo is filling a shortage in the current national job market by training chefs for the catering industry.
The Mayo Abbey Cookery School is supplying highly skilled individuals to the culinary industry.
Over the last 8 years, the…

Ashford Castle, Cong is in 3rd place in the 2018 TripAdvisor’s annual Travellers Choice Awards.
The five-star Killarney Park Hotel in Co Kerry has been named Ireland's No.1 hotel this year – in second place is Harvey's Point in Donegal, which had topped the…

The Minister for Mental Health Jim Daly is due to meet a deputation from Co Roscommon this evening at Leinster House to discuss the future of the Rosalie unit in Castlerea.
The Rosalie Unit at Naomh Chaolain accomodates elderly residents with Alzheimers…

There’s local interest in this year’s Oscars ceremony.
Cartoon Saloon have been nominated for animated feature - The Breadwinner.
The Kilkenny-based animation studio was co-founded by Boyle native Paul Young – the Roscommon man is also the company’s CEO.
This…

Storm Georgina has passed over Ireland but two yellow weather warnings remain in place this morning.
There's a nationwide wind alert until 9am this morning, with gusts of up to 110 kilometres per hour.
While a status yellow rainfall warning is in place for…

Gardai are appealing for information on a man missing from Sligo since Christmas Day.
43-year old Micheal McGowan of Coney Island, Sligo has been missing since the 25th December.
He’s described as 6’4”, with blue eyes and brown hair.
Anyone with information…

668 people are on hospital trolleys across the country today, according to the latest trolley watch from the INMO – that’s an increase of 116 since yesterday. In this region, there are 31 patients waiting for a bed at both Galway and Sligo University…

Over 115 million euro was earned by Airbnb hosts in Ireland last year.
The rental website says the number of guests grew by 63 per cent to 1.2 million between November 2016 and November 2017.
186,000 visitors used Airbnb accommodation in the West over the…

A GAA coach, who abused two young boys in the 1970s, had his sentence cut on appeal yesterday.
75-year old Ronan McCormack from Cloonloo, Co Sligo groomed and abused schoolboys as young as 10.
In 2014, he received a jail sentence of five-years and 10-months…

The new low-interest mortage scheme will be operated by local authorities is welcome, but should not be confined to first-time buyers.
That’s according to Roscommon-Galway Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice.
The Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy yesterday…

The body of a second Irish kayaker has been found in Ecuador.
David Higgins, who lived in Galway but was originally from Co Kerry, was one of a group of kayakers who got into difficulty while navigating the River Abanico on Saturday.
20-year old year-old Alex…

With the busy roundabout at Lidl in Castlebar under water due to flooding, and sections of roads all over the Castlebar Municipal District flooded in recent heavy rain, a Castlebar councillior is insisting that Mayo County council open the water tables along…

A 70-year-old man with a history of sexual offending, described as “dangerous” and “unsafe” for children to be around, has had his six year jail term for abusing an autistic boy cut on appeal.
The UK citizen, who cannot be identified to protect the victim's…

Plans are well underway to light up an urban route of the Belleek Greenway in Ballina.
The provision of effective, public lighting, along a 1 and a half km stretch of the facility which is used extensively during daylight hours, is to encourage it’s use at…

Destructive winds with gusts of up to 110kmh are expected to hit the country overnight tonight with a yellow wind warning issued nationwide.
The warning comes into effect this evening at 8pm and will last until 6am tomorrow.
Southwest winds are expected to…

There will be no Mayo Fianna Fail TD in attendance today when the party’s Oireachtas members opposed to repealing the Eighth Amendment, gather.
Fianna Fail Oireachtas members have been invited to a “coming together of like-minded people”by Carlow-Kilkenny TD…

Met Eireann has issued a status yellow wind warning for the entire country for tomorrow night. Southwest winds with gusts of up to 110 kilometres per hour are expected tomorrow night. The wind warning is valid from 8 o clock Tuesday evening until 6am…

62 patients, who underwent surgery at hospitals in the Saolta Hospital Group, had medical items such as swabs and needles left inside them after surgery. New figures provided to the Irish Daily Mail shows that, across the country over the last 7 years, over…

A 61-year old man, who was reported missing from his home in Galway since last Thursday, has been found safe and well.
Gardai had sought assistance from the public in tracing Francis Kavanagh from Ballybane.
Last night, Gardai confirmed that Mr Kavanagh has…

Over one-third of higher education students in Ireland experience severe financial problems, according to a new study of student living conditions.
The Eurostudent study, the 6th report of its kind, is being published by the Minister of State for Higher…

Ryanair has today launched flights from Knock to Girona, as part of its 2018 Summer schedule.
The flights will operate twice weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays from June to August, between Ireland West Airport Knock and Girona – a city in Spain’s Catalonia…

One of the four new regional Climate Action Offices being established by Government will be located in Castlebar.
The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Denis Naughten has announced that the four regional offices will be established…

Around a thousand local authority mortgages are set be given out this year.
They're part of a new Government scheme giving low cost loans to first time buyers, even if they've been refused by a bank.
Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy will today announce details…

98 thousand euro in funding has been announced for The Galway Hospice Foundation, under the Department of Social Affairs and Social Protection’s Dormant Accounts Funding.
The Galway Hospice Foundation has been allocated the funding to provide a training…

The icon of the World Meeting of Families is visiting a number of parishes in the Archdiocese of Tuam this week.
Archbishop Michael Neary welcomed the icon to Tuam Cathedral at a Mass on Friday evening.
The icon – which was unveiled at Knock Shrine last…

A 61-year old man, who was reported missing from his home in Galway since last Thursday, has been found safe and well.
Gardai had sought assistance from the public in tracing Francis Kavanagh from Ballybane.
Last night, Gardai confirmed that Mr Kavanagh has…

A young man from county Sligo has died and another Irish man is still missing following a kayaking accident in Ecuador.
Alex McGourty (20) from Calry, Sligo died on Saturday while on a group kayaking trip.
David Higgins (26), originally from Kerry, had been…

A public demonstration is planned for Saturday next ( Jan 27th) in Ballina as part of the community campaign to retain Ardnaree Post Office.
It’s being described as a demonstration of solidarity that will send a clear message to An Post that the community is…

Gardaí are seeking the public's help in tracing 61-year-old Francis Kavanagh who is missing from his home at Sruthan Mhuirlinne, Ballybane in Galway since Thursday 18th January.
He is described as 6' 2'', of medium build with short grey hair and blue eyes. It…

Gardai in Roscommon are seeking assistance after a tractor was stolen from the Mount Prospect area of Fuerty/Athleague at the weekend.
The red Case tractor with registration number 10-RN-1470 was stolen from the Mount Prospect area sometime between 5.30pm on…

A young Irish man has died in a water sports accident in South America.
The 20 year old had been kayaking in Equador when the incident occurred. He is believed to be from the Calry area of Sligo.
The Department of Foreign Affairs says it's aware of the case…

Irish Water is making a final appeal to customers, who have not yet received a refund of their domestic water charges, to update their details as soon as possible to ensure they receive their cheque.
About 95% of cheques have now been issued to domestic…

The fixed charge fine for drivers who park illegally in disabled parking spaces needs to be substantially increased – that’s according to the Social Democrats’ candidate for Roscommon-Galway, Ken Campbell.
Ballinasloe-based Mr Campbell, who has a daughter…

A young man who was killed tragically in Lanzarote last week will be laid to rest in Ballaghaderreen today.
19-year-old Stephen O’Gara died after the moped he hired collided with a car in the early hours of Saturday morning last on the holiday island.
He had…

Fine Gael takes a slight dip in support in the latest opinion poll out today. The first Sunday Times / Behaviour & Attitudes poll for 2018 shows support for the party is down two points to 32 percent. There's no change for Fianna Fail on 26 percent. Sinn Fein…

There is a building, on the Convent entrance side of the Miltary Barracks in Castlebar that is ideally suited to accommodate the headquarters of Castlebar Order of Malta.
That’s according to a fomer member of the Order of Malta, Independent councillor Frank…

The parish of Attymass is to mark its success at national level in the Pride of place Awards with a party in the Fr. Peyton centre at 6pm tomorrow evening (Sunday).
The entire parish is invited.
Attymass is also celebrating the recent announcement by Pope…

The three men arrested on Thursday near Kinnegad, Co Westmeath following a number of burglaries earlier in the day in Co. Sligo have been charged and were brought before a special sitting at Carrick on Shannon District Court last night.
Gardai in Sligo have…

Straide & Foxford United are organising a 5k fund raising run next month in Straide in aid of the Declan Smyth Recovery Fund.
The run takes place in Straide on Sunday February 4th.
Declan Smyth is one of the club's Masters players who became ill just before…

Three men have been arrested by Gardaí as part of ongoing operations targeting organised criminal groups involved in burglary and related crime. The men were arrested near Kinnegad, Co Westmeath yesterday evening following a number of burglaries earlier in…

As trees remain precarious along a number of major roads in the region in the aftermath of recent storms, a new committee to deal with tree cutting along the roads in the county met this week in Castlebar.
The group initiated by elected members of Mayo county…

Mayo Fianna Fail deputy Dara Calleary says he will not support the repeal of the 8th Amendment.
He confirmed his position to Midwest News this morning.
He said having considered the recommendations of the Oireachtas Committee, he believes the current…

Castlebar College of Further Education (CCFE) is closed today as a mark of respect to a much loved colleague and teacher, Dr. Fiachra MacGabhann who has died suddenly. Dr. MacGabhann of Clonee, Partry and a native of Blackrock, Co. Louth, was a noted Irish…

The boil water notice on the Brackloon Spaddagh group water scheme, in the Ballyhaunis area has been lifted.
The group water scheme was informed of the development by Mayo county council in consultation with the HSE.
The boil alert was in place for more than…

Gardai across the region are advising of dangerous road conditions this morning – with ice and snow on many roads.
A car turned on its roof in Islandeady earlier this morning , the Castlebar side of the Halfway House.
The emergency services are at the scene.…

The Mayo Association Dublin has announced the winners of the 2018 Mayo Person of the Year, Mayo Young Person of the Year and Mayo Meitheal awards.
Islandeady native Sr Maureen Lally has been named the Virginia Gallagher Mayo Person of the Year for 2018.
Sr…

The Dáil and Seanad debates on abortion have resumed this afternoon.
More TDs and Senators will give their opinions on the recommendation of allowing abortion without restriction for up to 12 weeks.
Meanwhile, a Mayo Senator says abortion services would be…

15 jobs are being advertised at present for the new Mr Price shop which is to open in Swinford town centre, in the former Greaney’s premises.
The development is very welcome, according to local Fianna Fail Councillor Michael Smyth.
Councillor Smyth says that…

A press reception will be held this evening by the Mayo Association Dublin to announce the winners of the 2018 Mayo Person of the Year, Mayo Young Person of the Year and Mayo Meitheal awards.
A judging panel has been sifting through the nominations, and the…

The swell of local support already built up in the campaign to retain the post office in Ardnaree in Ballina, will have to influence An Post’s decision to keep the facility open. That’s the view of the Cathaoirleach of Ballina Municipal District, Annie Mae…

Funeral arrangements have been confirmed for a young Ballaghaderreen man who died tragically in Lanzarote last week while on a family holiday.
19-year old Stephen O’Gara from Augherine, Moyne, Ballaghaderreen died when the moped he hired collided with a car…

The Transport Minister's been urged to re-think aspects of the Road Traffic Bill.
The legislation, which was debated in the Dáil last night, includes automatic driving bans for people who are caught driving over the alcohol limit.
A number of rural TDs…

Staff in hospices and disability support services should have their pay restored, following cuts by previous Governments – that’s according to Mayo TD Dara Calleary.
The Fianna Fail deputy is leading a debate in the Dail this afternoon on the issue of workers…

While Storm Fionn has passed, Met Eireann is warning of heavy rain and gale force winds in the West this evening and tonight.
A status yellow wind warning has been issued for Connacht from 5pm this evening until 3am tomorrow morning.
Met Eireann says a…

There’s a major jobs boost for Sligo with the news that AbbVie – formerly Abbott – is expanding its manufacturing facility at Ballytivnan with the creation of about 100 new jobs over the next 3 years.
The biopharmaceutical company has announced an expansion…

The Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has indicated that he will announce a transport subsidy for transporting fodder to farmers in need.
The issue was raised at yesterday’s AGM of the Irish Farmers Association in Dublin, when the Connacht regional…

The mother of Eoghan and Ruairí Chada, who were killed by their father in Co Mayo in July 2012, said she too is serving a life sentence, and has set up a victim support group to press for changes to sentencing.
44-year old Sanjeev Chada was sentenced to life…

Strong winds and a risk of coastal flooding are now on the cards after Storm Fionn resulted in dangerous road conditions in many areas last night.
Motorists this morning are being advised to drive with caution, as gardaí report snowy and icy road conditions…

The old N5 road between Charlestown and Carracastle has now reopened to traffic, following a road collision earlier this afternoon.
It’s understood a jeep overturned .
It’s not known if anyone was seriously injured in the incident, but Gardai say the road has…

Claremorris Gardai are advising that the road between Ballinrobe and the Neale is closed, following an accident.
The road will remain closed for a short period of time until the scene is cleared.
And the old N5 road between Charlestown and Carracastle is…

A young Castlebar man has died at the Beaumont Hospital in Dublin from injuries received earlier this month in a workplace accident.
31- year old Lorcan Deasy from Errew, Castlebar is survived by his parents, Michael and Marian, three brothers and extended…

A Mass was held this morning at St Nathy’s College in Ballaghadereen for a past pupil who died in a collision in Lanzarote over the weekend, while on a family holiday.
19-year old Stephen O’Gara from Augherine, Moyne, Ballaghadereen died when the moped he…

The community of Ballaghaderreen are shocked and saddened by the death of 19 year old Stephen O’Gara following a tragic collision while on holiday with members of his family in Lanzorote at the weekend.
The teenager, from Augherine, Ballaghaderreen was…

A number of weather warnings are in place across Connacht, as temperatures drop with snow and sleet showers sweeping across the region today.
A Status Yellow snow and ice warning remains in place until the early hours of tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile, a status…

The delay in An Bord Pleanala making a decision on allowing the realignment of Cloongullane bridge on the N26 Foxford to Swinford road is frustrating but may be worthwhile in the long run.
That’s the view of local Fine Gael councillor Neill Cruise. The cllr…

There are 17 flooded location along the R312 Castlebar to Bellacorrick road at present, and most of these floods could be resolved immediately if the water tables and drains were opened by council staff. That’s the view of Erris based Fine Gael Cllr Gerry…

TDs are said to be split over abortion along a rural / urban line.
According to a survey in today’s Irish Independent the number of deputies opposed to unrestricted abortion up to 12 weeks into a pregnancy is four times greater in rural Ireland than in…